Rail-joint and track-fastener.



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M. W. WAMBAUGH.

RAILJOINT AND TRACK FASTENER.

APPLICATON FILED MAY 28. 191B.

M. W. WAMBAUGH.

BAIL JOINT AND TRACK FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED Mln/28.1918.

1 ,274,22 1 Patented July 3o, 1918.

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sTATEs rATENT OFFICE.

IIAHLON w. WAMBAUGII,

or sfr. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BAIL-JOINT AND TRACK-FASTENER.

To allee-hom it myrvcomem: l, 1

Be itknown that I, MAHIoN W. KWAM- VBAUGH, acitizen of the United States, re-

siding at St. Louis, inthe State of Lissourn; have; invented a new Vand useful Rail-JointI and Track-Fastener, lof which the following isa specification.l Y Q The device forming the subject matter of i this application is a rail jointand a track fastening, of that general type shown in Patent.Nof."570,618r, anted tome on the thirdi day of Novem r, 1896. such a structure,4 sundry improvements are proposed, las willbemanifest when thejdescrip-k tion of the invention `is read. l

It may be stated, however, that, among other improvements, the invention contemplates novel means for holding the retainers in place on the ties, without resorting to the usev o f bolts, vScrews and the like. I

Another v'object of the invention is to provide an improved means for mounting the lugs which receive the ends of the truss rod, the `lugs being independent of the angle bars.. Anotherfobject of fthe invention is to improve-4 the constructionY of the strut which supports ,the intermediate portions 'of the truss rods.

Y It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention ap ertains.

u With the above van other objects in view, which willappear as the description proceeds, .the invention resides in the combina-v tion andA arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being. understood that,

within the scope of what-is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionA shown can be made Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. y

In the accompanyingdrawings Y Figure -1 shows in side elevation, theV meet'- ing ends ofa pair vofrails,` .wherewith-theV device forming the ySubj ect matterof this `invention hasl been assembled, parts-appear# ing in section; Fig. 2 is a top plan krofthe structureshownin Fig.j1;fF1g.v3 isa section taken approximately on the line-343 of.y Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragment'al top planshow-1 ing a portion of the base plate; Fig. 5`1s a Specieation of Letters Patent.

'i top plan showing a modified .form ofthe invention, a portion of the rail being broken away; and Fig.- 6 is ,a section, taken approximately on theline 6-6 of Fig. 5, parts being left in elevation.

Referring to Figs. 1 to .4of 1the drawings,

both inclusive, therejis shown a rail road' rail including a ball 1,'fa`web 2 and aflange 3. The flanges 3. ofl ,a pair of rails,I at the meetingA ends thereof are supported on plates 4, .-whichmay be denominated lbases,since f they'my befeither; a part of a metalftie, or

plates adapted tobe mounted on wooden ties, since the specification -does not purport to-deajl with any specific kind of tie, and the device hereinafter claimed` maybe used with manykinds of ties, and since, as I am well aware, no specific form of tie can be claimed in the sameapplication with a rail fastenv ing.

Y On each side ofthe flange 3 of the rail, the bases 4 are provided withV transverse ribs or serrations 5. The bases ,4are provided With elongated Vslots 6 and in the lower surfaces of the bases 4 `enlarged recesses 7 are formed about the slots 6. Angle bars 8 coperate with the web 2 of the rail in they well known manner, the upper edgesof the angle bars being inclined as shown at `9, as and for the purpose set forth in my prior patent above alluded to. The angle. bars 8 are attached to the web 2 of therail by bolts 10 or other securing devices. The angle bars 8 include outwardly extended base portions 11 cooperating with the-flanges 3 of the rails. ForVK a purpose to be s et forth hereinafter, the base` portions 1,1 of the angle bars 8are cut away at their ends, as' shown yat 12.

. Retainers 14 in the form of plates, vrest Y upon the bases 4andoverhan the'flange 3 of the rail as shown at 1,5. i, t may now be stated that the bases lloflthe'an 1e bars 8 are cut as shown at 12 to receivet e part l Patented July so, 19,118. Applioationvlecli Iay 278, 1918.` Serial No. 287,119.

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lof'theretainers, and toT permit the said parts to bear ydirectly onthe flanges '3 ofthe rails. The under surfaces offthe'retainers 14.are providedwith transverse ribsorl sers rations` 16 coperating Ywith; the ribs .5 yon. the bases 4.l vThe retainers-14rare providedl withpupstanding `lugs 17 having notches 18J initheirfupper ends. Lshapedfkeepersfl), Y e

which are circularin cross section, are journaled in the retainers 14. The shanks of the keepers 19 are adapted to move, for adjustment, in the slots 6 of the bases 4, the keepers including enlarged heads 2O receivedin the enlarged recesses 7 of the bases 4. It will be seen that the construction is such that the keepers 19 `may be rotated. Further, the keepers 19 along with the retainers 14 may be adjusted, longitudinally ofthe members 4 V owing to the presence of the slots 6 and the recesses 7 in said'membei's.

The upper ends of the L-shaped keepers 19 overhang coacting wedges 21, the upper wedges 21 coperating with the upper ends Vof the keepers, and the lower wedges 21 bearing against the retainers14. The coperating faces of the wedges 21 are supplied with intereiigaged transverse teeth 22.

Truss rods 23 extend longitudinally of the `rail 1 on opposite sides thereof andare received atV their ends inthe notches 1.8 rwhich are formed in the lugs 17 `on the retainers 14, the truss rodsv being terminally provided with heads 24, which, coperating with thel lugs retain the truss rods 23 in the notches 18.

Struts are interposedbetween"the inter? mediate' portions of the truss rods 23 and the flanges 3 ofthe rails as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3. These lstruts comprise, each, an

' upper wedge 25' bearing against the under surface of the flanges 3, and a lower wedge 26, the coacting faces of the wedges 25 and 26 being provided with interengaged transverse teeth 27. The lower wedge 26 is supported on the intermediate portions of the truss rods 23 and is provided with seats 28 which receive the truss rods,the construction being such that the lower wedge 26 is held against longitudinal movement, whereas the upper wedge 2,5 may be adjusted longitudinally. The wedges 25 and 26 coperate when a right-line movement is imparted to the upper wedge 25 and do not operate by a rotary movement. p

In practical operation, the retainers 14 may be moved toward and away from each other, owing tothe presence of the slots 6 and the recesses 7 in the members 4, this operation permitting the part 15 of the re- I tainers to coperate with the anges 3 of the rods 23, and bymoving the kvvvedge 25 4lon'- gitudinally, the wedge may' be made to cooperate with the ir'itermediateV portions of the truss rods, and lsupport rvthe ends of the the suffix a In this form of the invention, the truss-rods have been omitted, and

one of the retainers denoted by the numeral 30, is held in place on the member. v4a,'loy.

securing devices 31 of any desired sort.

It will be understood that the keepers '19 i may be-rotated by striking'the upper vends of the keepers with a hammer or liketool,

it lbeing possible Vin this wayto release the hold of the upper ends of the keepers on: the` wedges 21.

i Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of theclass described, a base having elongated'slots; a rail on the base; means for retaining one side of thefrail on' the base; al retainer coperating with the other side of the rail and supported on the base; superposed wedges mounted von the retainer; and keepers on opposite sides of the wedges, the keepers being journaled in the retainer and overhanging the wedges, the keepers including heads retained in the slots of the 'base and adjustable therein toward and away from the rail.

V2. In a device of the class described, bases; rails thereon; fish plates connecting the rails; means for supporting the rails at oneside; retainers on the lbases and engaging the other side of each rail; means forattaching the retainers to the bases; a truss rod-having its ends engaged with thefretainers, independently of the fishv plates; and a strut interposed between the intermediate portion of thetruss rodand the rails.

3. A device of the class described, confllo structed as set forth in claim2, and further characterized by the `fact that the strut comprises superposed upper and `lower wedges, the upper wedge Vhaving lright-line moveinent with respect to the lower wedge, the lower wedge having means for engaging the truss rod to hold the lower wedge against longitudinal movement. Y i

4. A device constructed as set forth 'in claim 2 and further characterized by the fact that the means for attaching the retainerslto the bases comprises keepersfjournaled in the retainers and held in thebases'; and av Wedge interposed between the upper' ends of the keepers and the retainers.

f `5. In va deviceI ofV the "class described, a A

rail; a retainer Vcopemtng with the other mtyv own, I have hereto affixed my signature side of the rail and supported on the base; in the presence of two witnesses. keepers journaled in the retainer; and a wed e interposed between the up er ends of MAHLON WAMBAUGH- 5 the eepers and the retainer, t e keepers Witnesses: Y v 1 lying on opposite sides of the wedge. E. J. BUCKLEY, Y e 2 In testimony that I claim the foregoing as THos.

Copies of this patent my be obtained for nve cents Veaelx, by addressing the Commissioner of latenti,

Washington, D. C. 

